I think I've written about Anne of Cleves once or twice here, but I know that I have mentioned that she doesn't fascinated me as much as some of the other wives - the more notable and popular ones, like Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour. My opinion for a while has been "Henry VIII didn't even like her, so why should we?!" Immature, I know, but I've never found anything about Anne of Cleves that really captures my interest. I have to say though that I'm starting to feel a pull towards researching her a little more, and I owe that to Showtime's The Tudors. I know there are many historians and history-enthusiasts who stay as far away as they can from fiction because they don't want any bit of wrong information creeping into their brains. I, however, crave the excitement and creative license that fiction brings to the table, and I find that it can be really beneficial in its own way. One of the greatest examples I have of this is The Tudors' depiction of Anne of Cleves, played by Joss Stone.

I was fully expecting, when I first started watching the show, to dislike the whole segment with Anne of Cleves in it. I expected it to be boring and lame and awkward... and it sure was awkward at points, but I have to say it was and remains one of my favorite parts of the whole show. Not only did Joss Stone do a fabulous job portraying a happy-go-lucky and genuinely kind Anne of Cleves, but the bit of creative license that the writers took with this character only helps the portrayal. Sure, there are things about Anne that stray from fact - the random hook-up between Henry and Anne after their divorce immediately comes to mind - but some of these things that are shown on TV make Anne seem more interesting, thus pulling us towards our computers or our libraries and wanting to find out more information about one of Henry VIII's least-talked-about wives. I can honestly say I never felt a pull towards Anne of Cleves until I fell in love with Joss Stone's heartwarming portrayal, and Anne of Cleves perfect kindness and obedience. Therefore, I'd like to talk a little bit about why I'm having a change of heart about Anne, and why there are actually quite a few things to like about her, and be fascinated by. First of all, as I think it is important to point out, Anne of Cleves was liked by many people, and spoken very highly of, both by her native German people and the English. As Ralph Holinshed said of her, she was a "lady of right commendable regard, courteous, gentle, a good housekeeper & very bountiful to her servants." It was also reported that the English considered her as one of the "most sweet, gracious, and humane queens they have had."It is also interesting to note that, although she was deemed "unattractive" by the King, and that is how she is remembered today, there are actually reports from her contemporaries claiming that she was just as handsome as other women at court. Some say that it was her strange German apparel and her shyness that caused the King to deem her as "ugly," though there is actually no evidence that he called her a "flander's mare," as we hear so often, since the phrase was not known until about a century later. This title, like so many other Tudor myths, seems to be one that has implanted itself so forcefully into people's heads that it will likely be taken as fact for a long time.

One of the most important and notable qualities in Anne of Cleves is her humility. Though she is often deemed "unintelligent" in comparison to the other wives of Henry VIII, she is in fact on of the most intelligent - and I don't mean this in terms of her education, but of her common sense! She was rightfully nervous about marrying the notorious ladies' man and infamous wife-killer - (though at this time only one of his wives had been beheaded), and Anne of Cleves certainly did not want to fall prey to Henry's violence and temper. Think of how little a choice Anne had in the marriage - as a noble bride, she was thrust into the King's hands as a political tool, and one can only imagine how frightened the foreign Anne must have felt. Because of this fear, I think she must have been very on her guard, especially once her marriage was so clearly crumbling and the King's affections were everywhere except on herself. There are reports that she put up no fight whatsoever when she was informed of the King's decision to annul their marriage, and even if her feelings were hurt a bit by his choice, she knew that the only way to protect herself was to do what neither Katherine of Aragon nor Anne Boleyn had done - to walk quietly out of the palace without further angering her husband. It's amazing to me that the one wife who is so often passed-over and ignored, is really the greatest example of the ideal 16th-century woman. She was more obedient and humble than any other Tudor woman was (at least that we can see clearly), and she adapted exactly how the King wanted her to. One can expect that Henry probably wasn't anticipating his wife to agree so readily, and it must have been a pleasant surprise after dealing with Katherine's and Anne Boleyn's stubbornness. As part of Anne of Cleves' generous divorce settlement, she received various lands and houses, including the former home of the Boleyn family, Hever Castle, where she lived out her days. She also received a yearly salary of 3,000-4,000 pounds, and was given precedence over every woman in England, save the King's daughters and future wives. She happily accepted this agreement and stole away to her private life - now an independently wealthy 16th-century woman, having escaped not only the bed of the aging, fat and diseased King, but the block and axe as well! Henry continued to keep a loving friendship between himself and his fourth wife, frequently visiting her during his marriage to Katherine Howard - (though not sleeping with her, as The Tudors shows - at least, not that we know of). Anne never remarried either, which I think is something to admire in a 16th-century woman. After being controlled by men her entire life, and then being thrust into an unwanted marriage with an unloving King, I think Anne's desire for marriage and love was virtually nonexistant. She also considered herself a mother to the King's daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, who both frequently visited her during the remainder of her life. Because of this, she reportedly felt no need to marry and have children of her own. By all accounts, she seemed to be a very happy and satisfied woman.

Anne was so well-liked, that when she died in 1557 during the reign of Queen Mary I, she was buried as a Queen in Westminster Abbey. Queen Mary was so fond of her, and had respected her so much during her life, that this was her final gift to her - Compare that burial to those of the rest of Henry's wives, with the exception of Jane Seymour, whom he is buried next to. Anne of Cleves triumphed even in death, simply for being gracious and kind! So, I'd like to make an apology to one of the least-appreciated Tudor women in history, Anne of Cleves - who, although did not please the King in that way, was beloved in her own way and lived out her days happily, wealthy, and liked by virtually everyone, including the King himself, who regarded her as his sister. What are your thoughts about Anne of Cleves? Does anyone know of any good books about her?

Well written. I agree, she is WAY over looked.... and I'd have to admit in my own opinion, the prettiest ;)

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Miesje de Vogel

08/09/2012 16:50

I did my thesis on Anne of Cleves. Getting to know her, I can't recommend a better book than Mary Saaler's on her, if you can get access to a copy: http://www.amazon.com/Ann-Of-Cleves-Fourth-Henry/dp/0948695412

Via Antonia Fraser: Perhaps one of the many reasons Henry VIII disliked Anne so much was the fact that Anne was not brought up as an educated noblewoman of the time in England. Anne did not possess the accomplishments that Henry VIII so longed for in a consort; music, literature, games, etc. Anne of Cleves was ill-equipped for the contentious, sophisticated world that lay outside her country.

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rachael

08/09/2012 20:18

Thankyou for this article, It is exactly how I see her too, overlooked but not forgotten. I think she was smarter, more beautiful and more witty than people gave her credit for.
I loved the book "My Lady of Cleves" my Margaret Campbell Barnes which brought these same aspects of her personality to light. It is historical fiction. but a lovely read and I think it would be similar to historical records.

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Elise Moonen

08/10/2012 14:23

thank you for sharing! it does point out that she was much more than people give her credit for. And My Lady of Cleves by Margaret Cambel Barnes is a good fictional book on her.

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Carl Parreño

10/12/2014 01:28

Anne of Cleves is simple and one fine sister of Henry. She was well beloved by one of History's bloody queen (Mary I). She deserved to be buried as Queen (consort) of England.